I. ˈkrȯ+ˌ- noun
Etymology: by folk etymology from Middle English crevis — more at crayfish
1. : crayfish
2. : spiny lobster
3. in California : ghost shrimp
II. intransitive verb
: to retreat from a position : back out — usually used with out
we'll just have to crawfish out of shaking hands with them — Sally Benson